[Updated] As of 6.30am this morning [June 23] there are traffic delays on South Road in Devonshire due to a collision that the police said involved a truck and two pedestrians.

The police said the two pedestrians have been taken to the hospital and their condition at this point is unknown.

The police also advised the motoring public that the road will be closed for up to an hour while scene is being processed.

Update 7.20am: Police Media Manager Dwayne Caines said that a truck driver has been “arrested on the scene for driving whilst impaired”.

“First responders attended a report of a road traffic collision that took place at 5:39am in the area of South Road and Vickers Bay Road in Devonshire,” Mr Caines said.

“It appears that a truck was travelling west on South Road when the driver lost control of his vehicle and collided with two walkers, a 52 year old woman and a 32 year old man.

“Both were taken to KEMH and are being treated injuries that are believed to be serious but not life threatening. The driver was arrested on the scene for driving whilst impaired.

“The scene is currently is being processed by forensic officers and traffic collision investigators and traffic is being diverted in the area.”

Update 10.32am: The police said, “The section of South Road in Devonshire between Tee Street and Brighton Hill Road temporarily closed after a 5:39am collision involving a truck and two pedestrians has since been re-opened to normal traffic flow.

“An update on the condition of the two injured pedestrians will be provided in due course and inquiries regarding this incident continue.”

Update 4.46pm: A police spokesperson said, “At last check the 52 year old woman and 32 year old man injured when a truck collided with them around 5:39am Tuesday, June 23rd in the South Road, Vickers Bay Road Devonshire area were both recovering in stable condition on a general ward at the hospital.

“Meanwhile, the 22 year old male truck driver arrested on suspicion of impaired driving remains in police custody pending further inquiries.

“The investigation regarding this collision continues and witnesses that have not already come forward should contact the main police telephone number 295-0011.”

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Comments (67)

I hope the pedestrians make a full and speedy recovery!!! As for the truck driver being arrested at the scene for driving while impaired?? This individual once found guilty needs to be named and shamed along with being made to pay full restitution costs to all those that this will cost, insurance, hospital etc…. The time has long past that we need to be making people accountable financially for their actions!!!! When these types actually have to start paying out of their own pockets, I think these types of incidents will decrease dramatiacally!!!!!

I think “these types” don’t give a $#!t about the consequences when they’re getting drunk or high .. so no I don’t think these type of incidents will go down .. Still, I agree they should be held accountable financially and otherwise.

So true Interested Party – driving whilst impaired at 7:20 AM….. this is clearly a driver that does not “give a $#!t about the consequences”. We can only wonder how often he showed up for work in this condition….

If this was the U.S., the owner of the trucking company that this person was working for would be taken to the cleaners. Recently, we had the case in the U.S. involving comedian Tracey Morgan whose vehicle was slammed into by a Walmart truck. The driver isn’t only accountable but Walmart was responsible and paid a hefty out-of-court settlement. It’s like we look down on lawsuits here (“…but it wasn’t the company’s fault”) but maybe that is what it will take. The insurance companies pay out something but it’s a pittance-if the owners of companies were held financially responsible as well maybe something would be done…there have been quite a few incidences where drivers in company vehicles have hit or even killed people.

I can hear the comments now…what are the owners supposed to do? For starters, how many owners know that employees take company vehicles out drinking? I’m not saying this is what happened here, but I have seen many company vehicles parked outside bars on a Friday night and many times the managers are right there as well so they can’t say they don’t know. If that employee then gets into the company vehicle loaded and kills someone, sorry but I feel the company bears some responsibility. They can easily put GPS on the vehicles and so everything they can to stamp out this nonsense but a lot of them look the other way and then want to crack down. If he company does all it can to control this abuse-including drug testing drivers occasionally-and someone genuinely disobeys then the company naturally will not be accountable. However, if they know full well that employees use company vehicles to go out drinking then SORRY, they should be sued to kingdom come and be held accountable for their employees’ actions! There’s no way this would be accepted in other jurisdictions-especially in the U.S.!

Well said Cynda. Each company handbook should outline the rules for using their trucks. There could be some after hour works and the truck COULD be assigned to areas noted for drinking, but the employer of the company should not be allowed to drink once the job is done. CHANGE VEHICLES then go back…..if that is too much trouble…so be it. My final words….what the heck was he doing impaired that hour of the morning?!?!!!!

It is fine for the courts to award these generous payouts but who really pays? Companies will have liability insurance. Guess who pays for that at the cash register? A small company or individual probably won’t have the insurance to pay & go bankrupt. Who loses then when employees are put out of work?

I suspect Triangle Drifter knows the company and the perhaps the drive….. his comments sounds real close to what one might expect from the OBA friends and family paid blog memo… no accountability for the private sector…..protect the business….at all cost…even above death or injury to the public…

i was under the impresion that ha plates can only operate with a special permit outside of normal business hours and lately i have seen numerous ha or h something plates, pick ups parked in front street lately . so in a way if you can afford the bs tcd puts you thought you can carry your inflated ego to and from happy hour in one over sized light bothering pick up.

I have to agree, because most that have been caught driving under the influence is not the first offence, but more importantly I do believe that the consequences should be a lot more severe for those handling heavy vehicles or operating larger machinery under the influence, an definitely those who are repeat offenders,jail time with all damages to the victims, their vehicles and/or personal properties, and injuries to be covered in full,and any future medical or therapy needed.

So Sorry for the two that were hurt. But why is there not a policeman directing traffic at middle road and T street. The traffic if so backed up from middle road, down T street and along South road. It does not take a genius to figure out what the traffic would be like at this hour in the morning.

Walkers have to be careful when walking on the roads. They really have to be mindful of the fact that the roads are made for vehicles. I know the driver was impaired but the walkers have to take precaution at all time. Glad it wasn’t any worse!

Totally agree if he was inpaired to have him arrested but too many of early morning walkers/runners do not have reflective gear on enough to see them. I came along this road about 5.15am and saw a few without reflective gear on.

Even if he wasn’t impaired, the driver hit two pedestrians. Clearly not paying attention either way, which is reckless behavior.

I think that there needs to be a stronger police presence on the roads at all hours. People are driving too fast on a regular basis and every single day I see someone doing something dangerous on the roads. We all need to be held accountable. Nothing is going to stop if there is no consequence. It will only continue to get worse.

I walk on South Shore Road Smiths/Devonshire/Paget all the time and the speed at which cars, bikes and trucks travel is shocking. I have been clipped on more than one occasion. It’s like a race track along that long stretch of road. I think some drivers purposely try to get as close to runners/walkers as they can and/or have no patience to allow traffic from the other direction to pass before overtaking pedestrians. Speed is the issue. Slow down!

If it is true that drugs are illegal if they are a threat to your body health or society, why is alcohol still legal while cannabis is not? Alcohol kills brain cells when you drink it, and people you run over while drunk. Cannabis is medicine and studies have proven it GROWS NEW BRAIN CELLS (quite the opposite of the trash lies you have been spoonfed for decades).

Go on, keep drinking your poison that is excreted by microorganisms while the smart people use the natural medicine that nature and God put here for us .

Alcohol will kill all your organs and give you gout, cannabis kills cancer and treats 300 diseases. Take your pick.

Um it does kill caner cells that has been proven. Deff doesnt promote braincell growth tho lol. But thats neither here nor there if he was driving while under the influence then he deserves whatever comes his way. Not sure if they can tell thru a test whether or not he had herb in his system tho. Or it may have just been a case of not paying attention. Hopefully the walkers are ok but s@$t does happen sometimes. Before we all hang him out to dry dont u think we should wait for the outcome of the test? Imo

Terrible and shame on driver. But have never understood why anyone in Bda thinks it’s ok to walk on our congested narrow roads and put their lives in the hands of the 1 in 3 maniacs that drive them. No one wears reflective gear or walks with any reasonable due care either, so that makes it worse.

I agree with you MB, also please stop walking two a breast!!! Roads are way too narrow. Having said that, I wish these drivers would be careful, the roads are almost like you take your lives in your hands driving here…SAD!

I’m not a walker or a cyclist, but I have heard that people choose to walk or ride two abreast so as to make themselves more visible and encourage vehicles to approach/overtake more carefully. Whether that’s a safe policy to adapt, I don’t know. Maybe representatives from the walking/jogging/cycling community could chime in?

Since every road is a essentially a narrow lane here on the island it seems to make sense that they walk/ride two abreast. The link gives some interesting cases on visibility of single-file verses two abreast. They seem to apply to every lane and junction in Bermuda.

Serious question – please clarify: I heard that in order for a cyclist to be legally allowed to ride WITH, and IN, traffic just as cars do, they MUST be at the same speed limit as cars. Is this true? I know it is true in other countries.

I’m not sure the pedestrians are to blame here. Do we know for sure that the people involved this morning were walking two abreast?

There is no safe place to walk at that time of the day. It is dark, so the railway trail isn’t an option and isn’t linked enough for pedestrians get a good walk in anyway. The government needs to spend some money on making the railway trail a safe (security cameras, solid surface and well lit) place for people on foot and bike. It will make things safer for everyone.

THE REPORT SAYS THAT THE DRIVER WAS IMPAIRED. BASICALLY IT IS PERFECTLY ACCEPTABLE FOR WALKERS RIDERS, PONY TRAPS ETC TO BE ON THE ROADS. DRIVERS HAVE TO BE A WHOLE LOT MORE CAREFUL. BERMUDIAN DRIVERS ARE THE WORST.

While I do NOT live in Bermuda now, I grew up there. When I return each year to visit family and friends I do spend a lot of time walking to catch the bus or ferry to get around. Both are convenient to where I stay! When walking I walk facing the traffic, use sidewalks where available and when I hear a vehicle approaching I stop and wait until it passes me. That move is for whether or not it is approaching me and I see it or I hear it coming from behind me. There are a large number of noisy vehicles on the Island, so one should be able to hear them. I do not wear head phones for that reason. I do not talk on a cell either when I am walking. If I do have to take a call I stop with my back to the wall or hedge and watch what is going on on the road. So far I have not had any issues, many drivers wave to acknowledge my courtesy to them and I wave back to acknowledge their courtesy to me. So my word here is to remember that metal is harder than my body and I will do what I need to do to stay safe. I am hoping the pedestrians recover soon, and the driver of the truck driver is held responsible for their actions. See you all soon.

Wearing reflective gear at 5:30am mornings does not seem to make much difference. I walk daily at this time and I wear the reflective tops and sneakers and the few cars/trucks on the road speed like they are all late for something and drive crazy. Slow down people. And walkers…to be on the safe side walk towards oncoming traffic. (not saying that these unfortunate people didn’t) And for the record..it’s not dark at this time of the morning, it’s beautiful!

As a runner I have had to take evasive action almost daily. But please pedestrians, unless there is an obvious reason not to, face oncoming traffic. It’s safer….for you. And wear reflective and fluorescent gear.

Yes, it’s the driver’s fault if they hit you but we need to preserve our lives.

Drivers – the UPPER speed limit is 35km an hour. For a reason. Full stop.

A shame we don’t require drivers to be pedestrians along PittsBay Rd and South BEFORE giving them a driver’s licence.

As a family member of the person involved I’m deeply hurt by these comments and assuming he was under the influence. Which is not the case. Like I said before. Don’t assume things, prays to all involved

I live in South Devonshire, and I run along South Road at 5:30 am morning.. I wear a vest and have a flasher.. I’ve been clipped a few times by car mirrors over the years and they keep going! Some drivers drive like a bat out of hell on south road heading east!

He wasn’t impaired… The man was on his way to work. Arrested on suspision of impaired driving and being charged with impaired driving are different than being guilty of impaired driving. Maybe it was just purely an “accident.”

You really need to consider the words you use; “ploughed down”?!! Really… if he had ploughed down two people in a truck, they most certainly wouldnt be recovering from the ACCIDENT. This sort of thing could happen to anyone; accidents happen. Lets be positive and thankful that all involved aren’t seriously hurt and for once try not to bring the driver down and shame him without knowing the facts. I can guarentee that every one of the people bashing the driver on this feed as had a lapse of concentration at somepoint either while driving, riding, walking etc and were lucky at that moment not to be involved in an accident. Shame on all of you have are so quick to pass judgement and jump to conclusions. I am glad that all involved arent seriously hurt and can move on from this accident – as that is exactly what it was.

The man was not drunk behind the wheel. Shock can play a lot of people, even police to believe that one maybe intoxicated. Get the facts correctly before everyone jumps to conclusion and defames the gentleman. It is a tragedy, lets not make it even a worse one on assumptions…